Overnight at a rural hospital…as visitors, not as patients!

We were fortunate to be able to visit a rural hospital in Katchua, about an hour outside of Varanasi. Here we were privileged to see some of the work and meet some of the amazing staff who provide services here. It was my first time visiting a rural hospital in India, and I was impressed by the high standard of care that was being provided. The hospital is a private hospital with affordable fees for people from the nearby village and countryside – we were very moved when one woman thanked the doctors with tears and bowing when her bill was forgiven as it was impossible for her to pay. Coming from a country with free healthcare with a good standard of care (there are government hospitals in India but the standard of care is poor) we tend to take for granted the ability to receive reasonable health care when we need it, regardless of how much money we have. On a lighter note, we were encouraged to learn that around 90% of snake bite victims who come to the hospital survive – happy news for snake phobics like ourselves! The hospital has a beautiful rural setting – we loved visiting after the hustle and bustle of Varanasi before catching a train to Dehradun.